Eeva Anttila: Arts@School

The Arts@School team investigates how the arts can support equal participation and learning in Finnish schools, and relates this question to the implementation of the new national curriculum.

The research team, in collaboration with teachers and students, designs and conducts several artistic-pedagogical interventions in public schools in order to develop institutional structures and teaching practices both in and through the arts. The aim is to identify ways to foster every student’s possibility to participate in arts education and learn through the arts in support for his/her learning, school engagement, and well-being. 

Employing mixed-methods, the team investigates how multimodal, arts-infused participatory pedagogical approaches may generate social innovations that provide learning opportunities for all and improve the social atmosphere at schools, impacting pupils’ well-being, particularly in marginalized social groups.

The team consists of specialists in arts education who are interested in equality and difference as foundational elements of education, working in partnership with experts in physical education, educational psychology, as well as with collaborating international scholars. The research group co-operates with several organizations, including the Finnish National Board of Education.
 

• Team leader: Professor in Dance Pedagogy Eeva Anttila, Theatre Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki
• Professor in Music Education Marja-Leena Juntunen, Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki
• Postdoctoral researcher Heidi Partti, Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki
• Postdoctoral researcher Isto Turpeinen, Theatre Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki
• Postdoctoral researcher Hanna Nikkanen, Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki
• Doctoral student Riku Saastamoinen, Theatre Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki
• Doctoral student Minja Koskela, Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki
• Doctoral student Olli-Taavetti Kankkunen, Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki
• Doctoral student Aleksi Ojala, Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki
• Doctoral student Analia Capponi-Savolainen, Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki
• Doctoral student Linda Toivanen, Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki
• Doctoral student Liisa Jaakonaho, Theatre Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki
• Doctoral student Maija Puromies, University of Eastern Finland.
• Project researcher Mari Martin, Theatre Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki
• Research assistent Jukka Heiskanen
• Research assistent Janne Jokelainen
• Research assistent Pipsa Tuppela

• Professor in Art Education Anniina Suominen, Aalto University
• Professor Mari Tervaniemi, University of Helsinki
• University lecturer Kaisa Tiippana, University of Helsinki
• University lecturer Mariana Siljamäki, University of Jyväskylä
• Postdoctoral researcher Cecilia Björk, Åbo Akademi
• Postgraduate student, art educator, media artist Tomi Dufva, Aalto University
• Postgraduate student Katja Sutela, University of Oulu
• Postgraduate student Tanja Linnavalli, University of Helsinki
• University lecturer, Minna Törmänen, University of Helsinki
• Research assistant Erica Michelson, University of Helsinki
• Research assistant Jenni Vähämaa, University of Helsinki
• Research assistant Hanna Partanen, University of Helsinki
• Research assistant Julia Laine, University of Helsinki
• Research assistant Karolina Ginman, University of Helsinki

• Professor Charlotte Svendler Nielsen, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
• Associate Professor Ralph Buck, University of Auckland, New Zealand
• Associate Professor Nicholas Rowe, University of Auckland, New Zealand
• Senior Lecturer Rose Martin, University of Auckland, New Zealand